Chinese New Year – Jamie’s Top 5

Sunday is Chinese New Year, so we’ve put together some of Jamie’s recipes to help you make the most of it. It’s a great excuse to cook up the famous flavours and dishes of Asian origin from star anise to ginger and duck to stir fries.

Chinese New Year is pretty much all about food, sharing and wishing each other health and prosperity for the coming 12 months; by the way 2013 is Year of the Snake – fortunately we don’t have any of that ‘delicacy’ available!

5. So why not kick off your celebrations with Jamie’s Beef and Brocolli Stir-Fry with ginger, soy and noodles – all the things you’d expect from the punchy flavours of China? Satisfying and simple.

4. One billion Chinese can’t be wrong, so how about using two of the most iconic of oriental vegetables in one dish – Beef with Pak Choi Mushrooms and Noodles. Mushrooms add such an extra depth to Asian dishes while the pak choi keeps it all fresh and virtuous.

3. Steamed Asian Sea Bass in the Bag is a fresh and zingy Chinese inspired dish, well it could really come from anywhere in Asia and combines lime and fish to create an amazingly fresh and clean taste. If you haven’t got sea bass, any white fish fillet will do you.

2. The way the Chinese cook their pork brings out maximum flavours and we have a lovely Oriental Pork with Noodles. It’s a bit of a labour of love but well worth it as there is some complex flavours in there to help you achieve real authenticity. Make sure you can get the highest welfare pork you can afford.

1. If you want to go all out and spoil your party-goers how about Roast Duck – what can symbolize the ancient art of Chinese cuisine more? Rub with the clever Chinese Five Spice rub and cook till crispy, just beautiful.

So have fun and make sure you keep the party poppers and Chinese lanterns close to hand, but most importantly get cooking for the Year of the Snake.